ANC organising assault on our MPs, claims EFF

Cape Town - The EFF accused the ANC of organising a group
to assault its MPs in Parliament on Wednesday.

"The Economic Freedom Fighters has learned that the ANC
is mobilising hooligans in the townships of Cape Town to come and assault EFF
MPs today in Parliament," party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said.

"The EFF has learned that they are loud-hailing across
the townships, promising people free buses to go to Parliament and deal with
the EFF."

Disrupt Parliament

Ndlozi said this was a "clear plan" to disrupt
Parliament and render its work dysfunctional.

"It means the ANC is planning to undermine the very
Parliament that it claims to protect and respect."

Moloto Mothapo, spokesperson for ANC chief whip Stone
Sizani, rubbished the claim and said the EFF had lost its mind.

"It's becoming clearer and clearer everyday that they
are losing it. They are obviously imagining things, and this is a figment of
their imagination," he told Sapa.

"Probably it is some sort of propaganda gone wrong on
their part. They really have to come with something better if they want to be
taken seriously. We have got no time to waste on the EFF."

Tension

A war of words between the EFF and the security cluster of
ministers heated up on Tuesday following a meeting over the chaos in Parliament
last week.

The justice, crime prevention, and security cluster
condemned the action of EFF MPs who disrupted proceedings in the National
Assembly last week while President Jacob Zuma was answering questions. Police
were called in to calm the situation.

The cluster, led by Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,
said extra-ordinary measures had been put in place to prevent a repeat of the
incident.

Last Thursday, EFF leader Julius Malema was not happy with
how Zuma had answered questions on when he would pay back part of the money
spent on R246m security upgrades to his private Nkandla residence in
KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaker Baleka Mbete instructed Malema and his fellow MPs to
leave the House when they kept interrupting and asking that Zuma answer their
question.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had recommended in her
report on Nkandla that Zuma repay that part of the money not spent on security
measures, like the swimming pool and cattle kraal, among others.

Zuma has been accused of delaying his response in Parliament
to Madonsela's report after he said he would leave it to Police Minister Nathi
Nhleko to determine if he should repay any of the money.

Separation of powers

On Tuesday night, Ndlozi said the security cluster had no
business interfering in Parliament's processes because it was part of the
executive.

"The doctrine of the separation of powers enshrined in
our constitutional democracy prescribes that the executive, which is all
appointed by the president, must respect Parliament," he said in a
statement.

Parliament was capable of running its business, and there
was never a need for the police to be called or for security measures to be
tightened.

"The EFF will not be intimidated by a group of
employees and henchmen/women who serve at the pleasure and discretion of
President Zuma," said Ndlozi. "The EFF is proud and makes no apology
whatsoever for its peaceful protest action in Parliament last Thursday.

He said EFF MPs had the right to be in the Chamber and hold
the executive accountable without any fear or favour.

Ndlozi said the EFF was ready for the ANC.

"If the ANC security cluster wants to arrest us,
teargas us, or shoot to kill us, then let it be.

"The EFF is ready for any form of violence because no
amount of war talk, no amount of intimidation will deter it from robustly
raising issues and holding the executive accountable."